Supporting Bali Starling Release, Unud Biology Provides Environmental Rehabilitation Education in Tejakula

• By Admin
• Kamis, 30 Oktober 2025

TEJAKULA, BULELENG – The Biology Study Program, FMIPA Udayana University (Unud), has taken a central role in ecosystem recovery efforts in Northern Bali through an environmental rehabilitation education program. The event, held on Saturday, October 11, 2025, at the Tejakula Village Hall, was designed to equip the community with the ecological understanding necessary to support the Bali Starling release program.

A total of 220 participants attended this collaborative event, showcasing synergy between academics, the Tejakula Village community, Gaia-Oasis Foundation, and the Friends of Nature, People, and Forest (FNPF).

The primary activity led by Unud's Biology Study Program focuses on environmental conservation education and land rehabilitation. This education aims to instill environmental values and ethics so that the local community can independently maintain the sustainability of flora and fauna.

The Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, Prof. Dra. Luh Putu Eswaryanti Kusuma Yuni, M.Sc., Ph.D., stated that youth is a crucial period for forming ecological awareness. Consequently, the Biodiversity Study Club Curik Bali from Himabio Udayana provided interactive materials to elementary and high school students in Tejakula Village regarding the importance of habitat protection.

The environmental rehabilitation education provided by the Biology Department was implemented through the planting of 150 tree seedlings. This planting serves a strategic purpose: providing food sources and nesting trees for the Bali Starlings intended for release.

During the Focus Group Discussion (FGD) session, Prof. I Ketut Ginantra, S.Pd., M.Si., explained the ecosystem services provided by biodiversity. This understanding is vital because the success of releasing this endemic bird highly depends on the habitat structure and composition managed by the local community.

The rehabilitation education led by Unud serves as the primary support for the release of two pairs of Bali Starlings coordinated by FNPF. This synergy is further bolstered by the active involvement of the Tejakula Village through the strengthening of customary laws (awig-awig) and support from the Gaia-Oasis Foundation.

Community Capacity Building: Providing technical understanding to residents on how to care for tree seedlings with significant ecological and economic value.

Ecosystem Sustainability: Ensuring the habitat in Tejakula is biologically ready to support the breeding of endangered wildlife.

Cross-Sector Collaboration: Strengthening the network between academia (Unud), conservation practitioners (FNPF & Gaia-Oasis), and local authorities.

Through this rehabilitation education, Unud's Biology Study Program hopes the Tejakula community will become primary actors in Bali Starling conservation. The success of the tree planting, to be evaluated in August 2026, is expected to set a new standard for community-based conservation in Bali.